Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Joseph's father Jacob (who, like Joseph, died in Egypt) had also before his death made Joseph swear (Genesis 49:28-33) that Joseph would not bury him in Egypt, but in the common burial spot of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah in Canaan (the cave that Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite (Genesis 23:3-20; Genesis 47:29-31)).

This wish to be buried with ancestors on the part of the patriarchs reflected four important aspects:

1) Their faith in God's promise that He would give the land in which they were being buried to their descendants;

2) Their desire to be buried in the same place as other members of their family as a sign of love and respect (which is a common practice, even to the present day);

3) Their wish to rest in the land where they had been born and raised, and where their ancestors had owned land; and

4) Their hope and faith that, even beyond this life, God would give them a future, eternal kingdom in that place. As Hebrews 11:8-10 puts it, "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance, not knowing where he was to go. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

December 10 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report